In a medical site, an Ultra-sonic echo apparatus, Magnetic Resonance Imaging apparatus, Computed Tomography scan apparatus or the like, which is a medical measurement equipment, is used to measure information of an organ such as a cross section of the heart muscle of the heart. For example, the information of the cross section of the heart muscle is two-dimensional image data, typically.
On the other hand, as a visualization method to observe complex three-dimensional structure, an isosurface display, cross-section display, volume rendering and the like are well-known.
And, for example, in Laid-open patent publication 2006-25885, a technique is disclosed in which a Region Of Interest (ROI) is set on the cross section of the organ, and a result of the volume rendering is represented in the ROI to enable users to recognize the three-dimensional image, locally. However, this document does not disclose the detailed setting of transparency or opacity when the volume rendering is performed, or merely discloses a case where the opacity is fixedly set for the brightness. According to this technique, the user's desired display may not be obtained.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-25885
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 09-81786